The present invention generally relates to design and verification of LSIs (large-scale integrated circuits). More particularly, the present invention relates to a technology for maintaining confidentiality of design data.
In the LSI design, confidentiality of the contents of the circuit should sometimes be maintained. For example, in the LSI involved in data encryption, the encryption logic may possibly be decrypted if the contents of the circuit are known.
Conventionally, an LSI requiring such preservation of confidentiality has been designed by a limited person(s) and/or at a specific location(s) so as to prevent the contents of the circuit from being known to other people.
With recent increased complication and scale of the LSIS, many designers are engaged in the design of a single LSI. Accordingly, designing the LSI by a limited designer(s) and/or at a limited location(s) is not always enough to maintain confidentiality of the circuit.